MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2008

Government Trounces Democracy with Campbell's Closure of TILMA Bill 32: Citizen's Group Outraged

Despite significant public outcry, Bill 32 went into effect without any vote in the Legislature today. The enabling legislation sets the private courts system Trade Investment and Labour Mobility (TILMA) into motion, ceding the right to corporations to sue local governments and other entities for regulations deemed to impede profits.

"For the past year and a half the Minister for Economic Development Colin Hansen has repeatedly promised that TILMA would be debated and voted on," says Carleen Pickard, regional organizer with the Council of Canadians. "It is incredible that there has been no discussion on an agreement that will lower standards across the two provinces and undermine local government autonomy. The government has gone to extreme measures to make sure the public knows nothing about it."

The controversial agreement, signed secretly between the BC and Alberta premiers in 2006, came into effect on April 1, 2007. Some components of the agreement came into effect immediately while others will take effect in 2009, when the agreement will fully apply to municipalities, and other government entities. While the signatories believe TILMA will increase business and competition between the provinces, critics are outraged that the governments see fit to override local decision making and democracy for the benefit of corporations.

A recent legal opinion by lawyer and trade expert Steven Shrybman indicated that the ban on junk food in BC public schools through the Healthy Schools initiative could be challenged by an Alberta food and beverage distributor seeking a contract in BC. Under the Bill 32, the Alberta corporation could successfully argue that the ban was impeding their ability to do business in BC and sue for up to $5 million. "TILMA and TILMA-like agreements are being discussed across the country. In British Columbia, the government has failed to convince the public that TILMA is a good agreement and taken unpopular steps to enforce it. People are outraged, other provinces should take note of this" says Pickard.

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For more information, please contact:
Carleen Pickard, Regional Organizer, 604.340.2455